As per a research by e-commerce firm Brightpearl, nearly a quarter of British retailers plan to close their physical stores in 2021. The survey polled 1,000 brands and 2,000 consumers from across the UK.

Almost 18 per cent plan to move stores out of city centres and into local high streets within the next 12 months, while 4 per cent are undecided on whether to follow suit.

Brightpearl CEO Derek O’Carroll said, the study shows some big shifts as its work-at-home patterns intensify. Though customers have relocated online, they’ve also relocated to the suburbs and the rural towns as reflected in emerging shopping habits. Retailers need to respond to these changes and our data suggests many are already making plans to move stores to high street locations that have increasingly strong foot traffic.

Over the next year, retailers are also going to have to up their digital game to meet growing online demand, and the expectations shaped by our new buying patterns. Some companies are planning to add local collection points to their online delivery offering to capitalize on customers’ increased preference for local shopping.